Eight-year old Stan Cooley has an extra kick in his step.

Cooley, who plays centre for Envirolube in the atom division, as well as many young players in the Whitehorse Minor Hockey Association, have Trish Pettitt and Co. to thank for their development.

Pettitt, who is also a coach with the Arctic Edge Figure Skating Club, has been coaching power skating sessions for more than 20 years.

The program is offered through Skate Canada and the Yukon Amateur Hockey Association. Students must be registered in minor hockey.

"She shows us new techniques, and it's fun having her for a coach,” Cooley said.

"She does a great job,” Stan's father Dennis added.

"Excellent coach, excellent instructor.”

Stan has been enrolled in power skating for three years.

He's finished the first level, and from September to December, he was enrolled in the second level.

At the Canada Games Centre on Sunday, Stan began his second round of level two, which will run until February.

"I've been able to skate backwards faster, and learned new techniques like lunging and long-strides,” Stan said.

The first level involves the basics, Pettitt explained, with a focus on skating forwards, backwards and stopping.

The second level involves cross-overs and edge work.

"It's edge development in the second level,” Pettitt said.

With more than 20 years experience behind her, she's learned a few things, such as what works and what doesn't.

"And having an eye for what they're doing wrong and how to fix it,” she said.

Brianne Young now helps Pettitt coach power skating on Sundays.

The Calgary native initially started off as a figure skater who used to visit Whitehorse in the summers to partake in Pettitt's power skating sessions.

Under Pettitt's tutelage, Young eventually made the switch from figure skating to hockey, and played womens' AAA midget hockey in her home town.

"She basically taught me how to be a hockey player, because it's very different,” the 25-year old said. "I could only skate backwards when I switched from figure skates to hockey skates.”

The weight is different, she added.

"It's a small difference, but it's enough to throw you off,” she said. "The blades are completely different. Level one, we're basically breaking down cross-overs, what edge you're on, breaking it down into something they can work on and understand.

"Really good skaters are the ones who can push with power.”

Besides, players should go to practices and games with the ability to skate.

"Hockey coaches don't have the time to break things down for the kids,” Young said.

"They have the drills, they're worried about the game, power plays and positioning,

where you got to be, cycling the puck. They don't have time to take a kid aside and say, ‘O.K., your feet are way too far apart when you're trying to stop,' and, ‘you're not leaning the right way.' … And this is a way that kids can still go to their hockey practice, learn what they need to know there, and then come here and focus just on skating.”

Pettitt agreed.

"It's an excellent program for hockey, and it allows the hockey players to then focus on the game,” Pettitt said, noting that it's typical to take the same level a number of times.

Young said it's a skill to teach young players how to skate without using pucks to keep them interested.

It's about focusing on good habits, she added.

"She has a way of relating things to the kids,” Young said. "A lot of coaches, they know their stuff, they're good coaches; but you got to be able to relate it to the kids, you got to be able to phrase it in a way that they understand.

"As they get older, (bad habits) can hold them back,” Young said. "Trish is really good at giving them a picture … you have to do that with young kids, especially with their attention span, you got to keep it interesting and exciting.”